Turkey's Gulen crackdown hits Canada

A crackdown on Gulen followers in Turkey has spilled into Canada, creating a deep divide in the Turkish community in this country.

A delegation from Turkey recently visited Canada to urge the closing of the Nile Academy, a private Toronto school that follows the teachings of Fethullah Gulen, a 75-year-old preacher whom Turkish officials accuse of masterminding an attempted coup d'état on July 15. Enrolment at the school has plummeted – down to 300 students from 500.

Efforts in Canada by Turkish authorities and supporters of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan have made life miserable for Gulen followers here, many say.